Microsoft's Windows 10 celebration includes in-store activities and Windows Insider exclusives

Staff Writer

Microsoft Store employees

When Windows 10 hits the RTM milestone, Microsoft marketing is hoping to hit the ground running on July 29 alongside the launch of Windows 10. The Windows 10 celebrations will occur in 110 Microsoft Stores located in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. There will be additional celebrations in various Microsoft Stores around the world but due to limited space, those specific celebrations will be invitation only.

As various Microsoft Stores will be busy upgrading devices to Windows 10, many stores will also be holding a series of activities on July 29 as well as the days after the release which were detailed in a recent blog post. Activities include:

Giveaways and refreshments – these will be going on all day on July 29.

Free upgrade assessment – There will be Microsoft staff on hand to look at your device and tell you what you need to do to upgrade to Windows 10.

Get to Know Windows 10 Workshops – This 60-minute workshop will teach you all about what Windows 10 has to offer. Learn things like how to get the most of new features or personalize you Windows experience and even how to play across devices.

Microsoft Store

Windows 10 Small Business Breakfast – On the morning of July 29, Microsoft will host a 90-minute session to introduce small business owners to the benefits of Windows 10 for their business. Bring in your device for a free assessment.

Answer Desk – Technicians will be there all day to answer any question you may have about Windows 10. From tuning up, troubleshooting to migrating your device to Windows 10. Bring in your device for them to assess.

Windows 10 Experience Zones – In 16 Microsoft Store mall locations, from July 29 to Aug. 9, there will be standalone experience zones with Windows 10 demos and Microsoft products. This is where Microsoft will reach out to the general public so that they can experience Windows 10 and receive giveaways. For a full list of locations, check out here.

Special Guests at 10 locations – There will be a meet and greets with special guests on July 29. Also on July 31, OneRepublic will perform a free live concert. For all the details see below:

7/29: Bellevue, Washington – Bellevue Square – World Cup Champion Megan Rapinoe
7/29: Boston, Massachusetts – The Shops at Prudential Center – NHL Selke Trophy Winner Patrice Bergeron
7/29: Dallas, Texas – NorthPark Center – NFL Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders
7/29: Garden City, New York – Roosevelt Field – World Cup Champion Abby Wambach
7/29: Houston, Texas – Houston Galleria – Houston Texans Linebacker Brian Cushing
7/29: Las Vegas, Nevada – Fashion Show – Boxing Legend Sugar Ray Leonard
7/31: Lone Tree, Colorado – Park Meadows – OneRepublic
7/29: Santa Clara, California – Westfield Valley Fair – NBA Champion and Finals MVP Andre Iguodala
7/29: Seattle, Washington – University Village – Seattle Seahawks Wide Receiver Doug Baldwin
7/29: Tysons Corner, Virginia (D.C. area) – Tysons Corner Center – World Cup Champion Ali Krieger

Windows 10

Windows Insiders will get receive some special attention too. Every Insider is entitled to an in-Microsoft Store offer valid from July 29 – Aug. 2. To receive the offer, just download it from the Windows Insider Hub App. It may be a bit hard to find the Windows Insider Hub, as it is not installed by default anymore. When you open the Insider Hub, you’ll find the offer in the announcements tab. There you’ll find a coupon that will net you 20 percent off the value of PC hardware and accessories. You can either print or just show the coupon on your device.

Not only that, if you’re an Insider and are one of the first 50 Insiders to turn up at each Microsoft Store on July 29, you’ll receive a free Windows Insider Exclusive t-shirt. It is assumed you should make it known to the staff that you are an Insider as soon as you walk in.

This is a huge launch that Microsoft must get right. Instead of having one big announcement event, it seems it is putting its resources into the Microsoft Stores. Hopefully, it will turn out to be the correct strategy.